The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-10-06
SUPERSTITION.
The Belief in Signs Common to
Many People.
Some Old-Time Omens and
What They indicate.

not one In hundred VINO mas the force
of character and strength OF mind to
Gnburden himself of all such foolish no.
tons. Among gamblers superstition
forms as much part Of a professionals
education as learning to deal cards, and
until he has all the innumerable super
stitions which prey upon the minds of
his class at his fingers tips he cannot
expect to rank as real "gam."
Actors, too, are the most superstitious
people on the face of the globe. In no
company will the manager permit the
'tag' or end Of the play to be spoken
during the preliminary rehearsal, and if,
on the night of the first appearance an
actor Of the company or an attachc of
the theatre happens to look out front to
"size up" the house before the curtain
is rung up, he or she is in for long
squabble with the manager or his assis-
tant. In less intelligent companies this
breach of etiquette" would cost the
offender good part of the salary that
might be due him.
Housewives have as many supersti-
tions as gamblers, even more, and some
of them are really laughable. In the
country, if the back door happens to be
open and rooster crows near it, the in
dustrious housewife whosmay be in the
kitchen securing her knives, will drop
them in hurry and run and get on her
clean 'duds." She considers it sure
sign that stranger is coming. But
should that rooster turn his back on the
open doorway and go off growing his
action will send cold chill meandering
up and down the spinal column of the
housewife, for then she knows 'for GER
tain" there'll be death in the family.
Bad luck, too, will come if she
sweeps dirt into her yard. 1t must be
taken up in the house and burned in the
stove. This superstition should be cul-
tivatcd.
Other superstitions of the same char
acter-such as sweeping with broom at
night time or dumping crumbs in the
yard-deservc universal commentator.
But just let hen crow in the yard of
some old, way-back farmer. 1t will
cause considerable commotion in the
family. From the infrequcncy of this
occurrence the belief in the minds Of
many people that it foretells death is
ineradicable. There are many other su-
perstltions that are not common to any
particular class, but find believers in all
ranks and every condition of life.
Thus, the familiar verses
II you love me as love you,
No knife can cut our love in two
must have been founded on the old time
belief that to present knife to any per-
son, and especially if he or she was
loved by the donor, would bring bad
luck, and in the case of lovers scpara-
tion.
Death ticks" and the sound as OF
bells ringing in a house are cousins ger
man of the Irish "banshee," and the
same dircful consequences that are sup
posed to attend the appearance of the
latter will result in the former instance.
A superstition which finds believers
among really intelligent people is that
of the "howling dog" If a dog howls
or means in front of your house 4~at
night, to many people it is sure fore
runner of sickness or death in the
family. The writer knows of two in
stances where the moaning of dog at
night in front of a house was followed
by death-that of the dog.
When the time approaches for the
new moon to appear above tho horizon
young men and girls who arc love.
stricken will hail it with feelings Of
mingled hope and fear. If by any mis-.
chance they should first see the new
moon by looking over their left shoulder,
then good-by to all hopes of a successful
issue of their affairs during the life Of
that moon.
All are familiar with the lines: "Sce
the new moon through the glass. the
sign of trouble while it lasts" Should
the reader ever happen to leave home
and forget some bundle which he in.
tended to have taken, let him or her bt
sure to either make the sign of the eros.
in sand or else sit upon a convenient
horse block. Should they return home
without performing these rites to destroy
the power of the Evil One, they are like
ly to suffer some terrible calamity.
To open and close an umbrella in Q
house Is sure sign of death. Perhaps
the man who first said if you enter 6
house by one door and leave it by an.
other, or if you enter by window, ii
will bring some evil consequences hoped
to scare off burglars who might be con.
templating a raid upon his silverwart
and decorated china Anyhow, it is a
common belief.
At the breaking up of a merry crowd
who have spent the evening in laughter
and fun-making, should four persons il
bidding each other good night eros.
their hands, there is general shout an6
the victims are assured that one or tn,
other of them will marry soon. This j.
especially unpleasant in the case of ;
young man who may be calling upon tn,
fair daughter of the family with tn,
4 most ''innercentest" intentions.
Another popular belief. and should i
ever be expressed in your presence 20,
may set the speaker down as country
bred. is that should trec-froQ-be kiiie(